The present invention relates to fastener devices and disposable products using the same. Examples of such disposable products include sweat bands, bandages, body wraps, disposable garments including disposable diapers (adult and baby), and disposable absorbent pads including sanitary napkins and incontinence devices. The present invention has a particular applicability to disposable pull-on garments such as pull-on diapers, training pants, incontinent briefs, and the like.
Fastener devices have previously been used in a variety of disposable products, including sweat bands, bandages, body wraps, and disposable garments including disposable diapers, and disposable absorbent pads including sanitary napkins and incontinence devices. Fastener devices are often provided in such products and used for joining a part of the product to another member (which may be provided within or outside the products). The fastener devices include a securing means which can mechanically or adhesively secure one member to another member.
One example of application of fastener devices is a waist fastener device which is often used in disposable diapers. In this example, the fastener device is used for fastening between the front panel and back ear panels (or side panels) of diapers. Examples of such fastener devices are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,848,594 issued to Buell on Nov. 19, 1974.
Another example of application of fastener devices is a disposal device which is used for securing a soiled pull-on garment in a convenient disposal configuration after the pull-on garment has been soiled. In this example, the fastener device (or the disposal device) is provided on the garment-facing surface of a backsheet. The convenient disposal configuration is achieved by securing a part of the backsheet to the other part of the backsheet through the fastener device. Examples of such fastener devices are disclosed, for example, in International Publication No. WO 94/09736 (Rollag et al.) published on May 11, 1994 and European Patent Publication No. 0623330A2 (Hayase et al.) published on Nov. 9, 1994.
As is noted in the above, the fastener devices are often provided in disposable products (or garments) and can be used in different manners. It is generally expected that the fastener devices are firmly secured to the disposable products, otherwise they tend to be separated from the disposable products by a force which may be externally (and sometimes accidentally) applied during the use of the product. For example, when a fastener device is used in a disposable pull-on garment as a disposal device, it is secured to the garment-facing surface of the backsheet. Recently there is a trend that the disposable pull-on garments often have an outer cover nonwoven fabric which covers the entire garment-facing surface of the backsheet to provide a cloth-like garment feel. It has been discovered that users of the disposable pull-on garments tend to prefer a soft touch of such an outer cover nonwoven fabric. It is generally noted that soft nonwoven fabric tend :to have a weak mechanical strength. The disposal device is attached to the outer cover nonwoven fabric in the disposable pull-on garments. As a result, the disposal device tends to be more easily separated from the outer cover nonwoven fabric during use. In particular, in the operation of pulling the grip tab of the disposal device to extend the preliminary folded tape sections (normally just before the actual use of the disposal device), the portion which secures the disposal device to the outer cover nonwoven fabric tends to be easily tom thereby causing an undesirable separation of the disposal device from the disposable pull-on garment.
Based on the foregoing, there is a need for a fastener device which can be more firmly secured to disposable products.
The present invention is directed to a fastener device. The fastener device includes a first tape section having a free end portion and a first connection portion opposing the free end portion; a second tape section having a second connection portion and a first anchor portion opposing the second connection portion. The second connection portion is joined to the first connection portion of the first tape section. The fastener device further includes a third tape section having a third connection portion and a second anchor portion next to the third connection portion. The third connection portion is joined to the second connection portion of the second tape section. The third connection portion is joined to a branch connection portion between the second connection portion and the first anchor portion of the second tape section.
The present invention is also directed to a disposable product which employs the fastener device.
The present invention is further directed to a disposable pull-on garment which employs the fastener device as a disposal device.
These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become evident to those skilled in the art from reading of the present disclosure.